Court of Appeals to deal with AKP’s claims over Gülen network in high justice

ANKARA

The appeals court did not detail when it will discuss the claims brought about by Mehmet Ali Şahin, deputy leader of the Justice and Development Party (AKP). AA Photo

The Supreme Court of Appeals will shortly handle claims from a senior ruling party official who exposed an inappropriate relationship between a judge and the Hizmet Movement under the leadership of U.S.-based Islamic scholar Fethullah Gülen.

The appeals court did not detail when it will discuss the claims brought about by Mehmet Ali Şahin, deputy leader of the Justice and Development Party (AKP).

Şahin told reporters on Jan. 20 he disclosed the name of the judge, dubbed “The Imam at Yargıtay,” to the office of the Supreme Court of Appeals in a closed envelope. He earlier claimed the judge was asking for Fethullah Gülen’s instructions before giving his own verdict on certain cases, information he received while he was serving as justice minister.

Şahin’s claims come in the middle of a fierce fight between the government and the Hizmet Movement, once strong allies, which erupted following the former’s decision to close prep schools, 25 percent of which belong to the movement. The fight was fueled after the pro-Movement prosecutors launched a massive corruption and graft operation engulfing senior members of the AKP government.